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In my sophomore year of college, I went through about a jar of peanut butter a week. It was affordable and, better yet, highly delicious. That peanut butter went on everything: bagels, ice cream, straight into my mouth. But it wasn’t until I started making overnight oats that I realized the peanut butter jar itself was a thing of beauty. An almost-empty jar offers both an ingredient and a container (groundbreaking!).
That last bit of peanut butter, or any kind of nut or seed butter, in the bottom of the jar needs very little to transform it into a nutty sauce, dip, or dressing. The trick: Whisk some liquid directly into the jar to loosen the sticky nut butter and emulsify it into a silky, saucy consistency. You can also use a small bowl, but remember that the built-in container of your jar means less cleanup in the end. Plus, you get the most product if you start right in the jar—simply screw back on the cap and shake it as you would a salad dressing to combine it all. If clumps of nut butter remain, use a mini whisk or fork to break them up in the jar.
Warm water works best as nut butters become more soluble in warmer liquids. The combination yields an instant, savory sauce that’s delightfully nutty and creamy. But no one says you have to stop there. Zhuzh up your peanut butter sauce with acid, umami, sweetener, and spice. Treat that bit of leftover nut butter as a foundation for both sweet and savory exploration. And while you can certainly follow a recipe (keep reading for that), it’s a matter of taste, so season, taste, and adjust as you go.
How to make an empty-peanut-butter-jar sauce
It all depends on how thick you want your sauce, but start with roughly equal parts nut butter to liquid. If you’re the cautious sort, add the liquid in increments, mix, then add more until you reach your desired consistency. If you want a saucy sauce you can drizzle on grain bowls or toss with noodles, like these cucumber-peanut noodle bowls, use a bit more liquid. Looking for a dip for veggies or satay chicken? Use less. Repurpose those last bits of nut butter into whatever your heart and stomach desires.
Water isn’t the only liquid you could add to your sauce. A splash of warm chicken broth enhances the sauce’s savory flavors—vegetable broth works too if you’re keeping things plant-based. For something lighter, with a more tropical vibe, think pineapple or mango juice. You can also cut these more mild liquids with concentrated ones. For a richer umami flavor, add a touch of soy sauce or tamari. Introduce brightness with rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lime juice. Generally, start with a tablespoon at a time, taste for seasoning, and add more as you go. If you want it spicy, stir in a little of your favorite hot sauce, like sriracha or Texas Pete.
Want to make a sweet peanut butter sauce to serve with apples, pears, or drizzle over cheesecake? Whisk in a little maple syrup or honey and vanilla extract. This works particularly well for pre-sweetened nut butters like Big Spoon Roasters’ peanut and pecan Peach Crumble nut butter.
You can raid your spice rack, too. A healthy pinch of salt enhances flavor, but you may not need it, especially if you’re already using soy sauce or another salty addition. Try garlic salt, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, or other seasonings from your favorite rubs and blends for chicken, tofu, or pork. Building a sweet sauce? Think cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and other common baking spices. The combinations are endless.
For an unctuous salad dressing with extra-nutty flavor, toasted sesame oil makes a nice complement to nearly any nut butter (see this cucumber, scallion, and peanut salad as proof). In contrast, a more neutral oil will loosen the butter enough to dress noodles or marinate proteins and vegetables, while allowing bolder ingredients to shine. A thicker liquid, such as coconut milk or hoisin sauce, will result in a sturdier condiment that you can slather on satay sandwiches or dip spring rolls into. If you like a little crunch in every bite, sprinkle in a teaspoon or two of crushed peanuts or other nuts (this is ideal if you’re creating a sauce from crunchy peanut butter) or store-bought crispy shallots.
Barely-Any-Left Peanut Butter Sauce
- Yield: About ¼ cup peanut sauce
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- About 2 Tbsp. nut or seed butter (such as peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, or tahini)
- About 2 Tbsp. liquid (such as warm water, hot chicken stock, or fruit juice), including up to 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, tamari, hoisin sauce, lemon juice, or lime juice
- About 1 Tbsp. sesame oil or vegetable oil (optional)
- ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
- 1–2 tsp. sweetener (such as honey, maple syrup, or agave) or hot sauce (optional)
- ½ tsp. spice, such as cinnamon, turmeric, crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½–1 tsp. mix-ins, such as vanilla extract, grated garlic, crushed nuts, or seeds (optional)
- In a jar with about 2 Tbsp. nut or seed butter left at the bottom, add about 2 Tbsp. liquid. Fasten lid and shake to emulsify sauce. If nut butter clings to jar, remove lid and use a small whisk or fork to scrape sides and bottom of jar. (Alternatively, scrape peanut butter or nut butter into a small bowl, add liquid, and whisk to combine.) Add more liquid as necessary, including about 1 Tbsp. sesame oil or vegetable oil (if using) until desired consistency is reached.
- Add ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1–2 tsp. sweetener or hot sauce (if using), and ½–1 tsp. mix-ins (if using), screw on the lid and shake to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Tofu in peanut sauce, weeknight peanut butter noodles, coconut peanut mochi balls, and much more.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story was published in April 2020.
